Caption: John Dellenback, Peace Corps Director appointed by President Gerald Ford who served from 1975 to 1977

Read and comment on this story from The Oregonian on former Peace Corps Director John Dellenback who is in the hospital in critical condition. The 84-year-year-old is known to have an age-related kidney disease -- nephrosclerosis -- for which he received a kidney transplant. At the time, he was the nation's oldest kidney transplant recipient at age 78. His wife, Mary Jane, then 68, volunteered to donate one of her kidneys and was the nation's third-oldest donor. Read the story at:

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Former congressman in hospital

12/06/02

PATRICK O'NEILL

John Dellenback, former congressman from Oregon's 4th District, was reported in critical condition Thursday at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Hospital officials would not release details of Dellenback's medical condition. But the 84-year-year-old is known to have an age-related kidney disease -- nephrosclerosis -- for which he received a kidney transplant in 1997 at Oregon Health & Science University.

At the time, he was the nation's oldest kidney transplant recipient at age 78. His wife, Mary Jane, then 68, volunteered to donate one of her kidneys and was the nation's third-oldest donor.

Dellenback has always been known for his squeaky-clean lifestyle -- a nonsmoker and nondrinker, active in Presbyterian Church work in Medford.

He was elected to Congress in 1966.

The four-term congressman -- known for his bow tie, his roll-up-the-sleeves diligence and ideals so high he was sometimes fondly called "St. John" by colleagues -- attained leadership positions in areas of education and natural resource. He was Oregon's only major Republican casualty of the 1974 election when voters punished Republican incumbents for the Watergate scandal.

Dellenback wrote legislation establishing the vast Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. He wrote amendments to a bill allowing the construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, holding pipeline permit-holders and shippers liable for oil spills.

During his political career, Dellenback advocated a balance between energy and environmental concerns. Today's tensions in the Middle East and threatened war with Iraq have brought the importance of imported oil to center stage. But in 1974, during an interview at the end of his terms as congressman, Dellenback worried about what would happen to environmental considerations when foreign oil supplies were threatened.

"Congress has not yet faced up to the urgency and breadth of the energy crisis," he said at the time. "We have just given lip service so far to the question of our reliance of foreign petroleum, the question of efficient use and conservation of what we already have."

In 1975, President Ford appointed Dellenback director of the Peace Corps and its 6,700 volunteers. He served in that position for two years.

An ardent promoter of Christian education, Dellenback was president of the Christian College Coalition from 1977 to 1988. The coalition grew from 10 colleges in 1971 to 77 by the end of his presidency. It later became the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities. Patrick O'Neill: 503-221-8233; poneill@news.oregonian.com

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